The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-17

1 will tell you all about it, An interview
at first hand is better than one at second
hand; but one at second hand is better than
none at all. Several days had elapsed and
Inere had come no reply from Ouida.
would 1t not be we'll to hear what my
friend had to say! | thought so.
on say she is not married" l said. 81
have heard that she married the MARQUIS de
La Rame. Is not that trueF'
Not a bit of it. The nearest that Ouida
ever came to getting married was right here
IN Florence several years ago. was living
mere at the time and remember the sensa-
ton created as if it were yesterday. There
was an Italian nobleman who had been
paying her some attentions which she took
to be serious. Ouida may have talent, but
she certainly has no beauty. She is pain
IulIy homely, and moreover, even at the
time of which am now speaking, she was
long past the meridian of life. The Marquis
was aware of these things, and he made the
mistake of imagining Ouida was aware of
them also. He thought this and did not
believe that Ouida would take his words
seriously. She did take his words seriously,
however, and made every preparation for
marrying, having the trousseau prepared
and the other necessary arrangements
made. Then came the CATASTROPHE a scene
that would form an admirable chapter in
was in earneStH asked the Marquis when
pushed to the wall"
Was not that a rather brutal way of
putting it" interrupted.
oUIDA's REVENGE.
what else could he do! He had not
dreamed that she took the matter seriously:
her actions now showed him his mistake
and he was compelled to confess he had
been thrilling with her affections. After
the first explosion, Ouida set about devising
way to be revenged. She bought villa
adjoining that of the Marquis, and provid-
ing pistol kept it on her hall table, it is
said, with the intention of shooting her
delinquent lover the first time he passed
Whether, when the decisive moment came
she relented, or whether no decisive
moment came, the Marquis prudently re-
naming away, | can not say, but at all
events there was no shooting and no more
sensation that year. Florence, however,
had not heard the last of it, for the next
year her novel, "A Winter City, was pub
lisned and everybody knew that was the
manner in which she meant to revenge
herself on the way Florence, or at least one
of the Florentines, had treated her The
characters in "A Winter City are portraits
of Florentines, easily recognized, and l need
scarcely add, not very flattering or pleasing
to the originals"
Are her books much read in Italyr'
mo, not all of them. "A Winter City
and 'Ariadne' have been translated into
Italian, and are read to considerable extent,
at least in Florence. Idonot know that any
other of her novels are translated into
Italian. There may be others, but we do
not see much of them here"
SIS Ouida much of a society woman7"
'Well, can hardly say" said my friend,
eel. -
her society. She is intellectual, but very
peculiar, and especially since her Winter
City society here has not been any too
cordial in its treatment of her."
HER DOGS AND DECoLLETTE DRESSES.
"She lives now quite alone, surrounded
by her dogs, and with one old lady as her
sole companion. Ouida is now somewhere
about 60 years of age, and her solitary mode
Of life is beginning to tell on her. There
are many peculiarities-eccentric |
might call them-such as wearing bright
colored decollette dresses with her HAIR
flowing loose, like girl of Ii instead of a
woman of CO."
The same afternoon on which this con-
versation occurred took a stroll through
the Porta San Frediano and along the via
di Scandicci as far as the Villa Farinola
There, nestled on the side of hill, almost
hidden from view by the thick green foliage
of the surrounding gardens, lives the
woman whose books are SO widely read, so
widely admired and so widely
condemned. In what dozen books
can be found as much pessimism, as much
cold, unjust differentiation of human
nature as is found in her Princes Naprax-
ine"
"Ouida's philosophy said my friend
at is detestable. Ouida does not believe in
mankind no, she believes in--dogsl"
That she believes in dogs is certain, for
her villa is full of them, and from their ap-
pearance they must receive no small amount
of affection and care. From the hill near
Ouida's villa a splendid view of Florence
and the surrounding country is to be had
Indeed, the excellence of the scenery in this
neighborhood is only equaled by the ex-
cellence of the arrangements for viewing it.
On every side of Florence there are lovely
heights overlooking the city, and in the
city itself is an enormously high tower,
from the lofty summit of which one can
look down on the streets and houses and
men beneath as on some picture or panor-
ann.